2026/01/26Houthis Tease Red Sea Comeback: “Soon”
Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen signaled they may resume attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea corridor, reposting earlier footage of a burning vessel with the caption “Soon,” without further details, according to the Associated Press. The threat comes as the U.S. steps up its regional posture—including the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln —amid heightened U.S.–Iran tensions tied to Tehran’s crackdown on nationwide protests and President Donald Trump’s warnings of possible military action.
2026/01/26NetBlocks Accuses BBC of Pulling Iran Internet-Blackout Interviews
NetBlocks said on X that the BBC canceled nearly all scheduled TV and radio interviews about Iran’s internet shutdown—or suggested shifting the discussion to outages in other countries—prompting the watchdog to criticize the approach as unprecedented in past crises and a potential waste of human-rights monitors’ time. While stressing respect for BBC journalists, NetBlocks argued the pattern warrants serious scrutiny and investigation, as the Iran blackout remains a high-stakes issue for accountability, documentation, and economic disruption.
2026/01/26Tehran Stocks Crash as War-Risk Jitters Lift the Dollar
Tehran’s main stock index plunged 121,000 points on Monday (6 Bahman) , extending a sharp selloff that began on Saturday , the first trading day of the week, as speculation over a potential U.S. military strike intensified. Despite attempts by Islamic Republic officials to project calm—reportedly including promises of stability and moves to bring export FX back into the system after the 18–22 Dey protest crackdown—market stress persisted: alongside falling equities, unofficial FX channels reported the open-market USD rising to 144,400 tomans even amid internet disruptions, reinforcing a widening risk premium across domestic assets.
2026/01/26Tehran Denies “Witkoff Channel” Claim, Blames Israel for ‘Fake Information’
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday (Jan. 26, 2026 / 6 Bahman) that reports of Iran sending messages to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff —including a claimed written assurance from President Masoud Pezeshkian and an alleged message from FM Abbas Araghchi —were false, accusing Israel of undermining diplomacy and producing “fabricated” information. The denial follows an Israel Hayom report citing a senior Israeli official who claimed Witkoff conveyed Iranian messages to President Donald Trump aimed at delaying a potential U.S. strike.
2026/01/26Afghan Singer Farhad Darya Voices Support for Iran’s Anti-Regime Uprising
Afghan singer Farhad Darya backed Iran’s national uprising against the Islamic Republic in an Instagram post, sharing an image of an Iranian protester holding the Lion-and-Sun flag. He wrote that Iran’s protests could inspire other nations enduring similar hardship to mobilize, praising the Iranian people’s will as a symbol of unconditional unity against “dark powers,” while mourning the unanswered voices and grieving parents left behind. Darya added that despite harsh repression, “louder voices and stronger wills” will rise to fill the spaces of those killed. His comments also resonate in a region where Afghanistan under Taliban rule has faced widespread human-rights abuses, especially against women.
2026/01/26Israel Raises Alert as U.S. Buildup Fuels Iran Retaliation Scenario
Israel’s Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo said the IDF is preparing for a scenario in which a potential U.S. strike on Iran triggers Iranian retaliation against Israel , adding that Israel is seeing American force buildup “both in the Persian Gulf and throughout the Middle East,” according to remarks aired on Israel’s Channel 12 and reported by The Times of Israel . In parallel, Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority chief warned foreign airlines that the coming days could be a more “sensitive period,” including the possibility Israel may again close its airspace if required, as U.S. deployments—such as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group—add to regional tension and Iranian officials warn an attack would be treated as all-out war .
2026/01/26Iran Police Commander Claims “No Firearms” Despite Viral Shooting Footage
As social media has circulated widespread videos showing what appear to be security forces firing directly at crowds with military-style weapons—and footage of bodies displaying what look like live-bullet wounds—a commander of the special units of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) said on Sunday, 5 Bahman , that firearms were not used in the crackdown. He claimed the units relied instead on paintball guns , water cannon vehicles , and noise devices , a statement likely to deepen the credibility battle over responsibility, tactics, and casualty accounts.
2026/01/26“No Daylight” on Iran in Trump Circle, Israeli Analyst Claims
Amit Segal, Channel 12’s senior analyst, wrote—citing a reportedly informed U.S. source—that in Steve Witkoff’s consultations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside Jared Kushner, there may be differences on a range of issues, but on Iran there is “not even the slightest” disagreement. The claim comes as some U.S. outlets have recently argued Witkoff and Kushner are softer than Secretary of State Marco Rubio and still keep diplomacy on the table—an argument also aired before the “12-day war,” when parts of the U.S. press suggested internal Trump-team divisions on Iran, only for later reporting to assert the administration was unified on the need for a military option.
2026/01/26President’s Son Denies Mass Death Toll Amid Internet Blackout
Yousef Pezeshkian—son and adviser of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian—posted on Instagram Stories, despite ongoing internet restrictions and Instagram filtering, rejecting claims that 12,000 people were killed during the protests and asserting that “law enforcement and security forces” did not turn the demonstrations violent. The statement adds to the information war around casualty figures and responsibility for violence, as competing narratives intensify under blackout conditions that limit independent verification.
2026/01/26Iran’s Online Economy Nears “Breaking Point,” Telecoms Minister Warns
Iran’s communications minister said the average resilience of internet-based businesses is roughly 20 days , adding that the country is now approaching that threshold—an implicit warning that prolonged disruption risks irreversible damage to online firms, jobs, and cash flow.
2026/01/26Tehran Traders Queue for “Limited” Internet at the Chamber of Commerce
Crowds of businesspeople are reportedly lining up at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce to access restricted internet for a few hours, holding their business card and national ID in one hand and a signed commitment form in the other. After their IP address and login time are registered, they can connect—under conditions that limit access to just two floors and require a pledge not to “misuse” the privilege, with warnings that any violation could trigger legal follow-up and suspension of their business card, according to reports cited by Khabar-e Fori / Donya-ye Eqtesad.
2026/01/26CENTCOM–Israel Briefing: No Iran Strike Date, U.S. Seeks “Clean and Fast” Option
According to security correspondent Hallel Bitton Rosen , a summary of last night’s meeting between CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper and senior Israeli military officials suggests there is no fixed date for a strike on Iran, that the U.S. wants more time to build a meaningful force posture but can still execute an immediate operation if required , and that Washington’s preference is for a clean, rapid mission designed to avoid becoming overly costly .
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